1996 Book of Discipline: Paragraph 329| General Conference 2000

¶ 329. The Itinerant System--The itinerant system is the accepted method of The United Methodist Church by which ordained elders are appointed by the bishop to fields of labor.¹³ All ordained elders shall accept and abide by these appointments. Persons appointed to multiple-staff ministries, either in a single parish or in a cluster or larger parish, shall have personal and professional access to the bishop and cabinet, the committee on pastor-parish relations, as well as to the pastor in charge. The nature of the appointment process is specified in ¶¶ 430{@-}434.

[FTN] 13. See Judicial Council Decision 713.

1. Full-time service shall be the norm for ordained elders in the annual conference. Full-time service shall mean that the person's entire vocational time, as defined by the district superintendent in consultation with the pastor and the committee on pastor-parish relations, is devoted to the work of ministry in the field of labor to which one is appointed by the bishop.

2. Less than full-time service may be rendered by a clergy member under the conditions stipulated in this paragraph.¹⁴ Less than full-time service shall mean that a specified amount of time less than full-time agreed upon by the bishop and the cabinet, the clergy member, and the annual conference board of ordained ministry is devoted to the work of ministry in the field of labor to which the person is appointed by the bishop. At his or her own initiative, a clergy member may request and may be appointed in one-quarter, one-half, or three-quarter time increments by the bishop to less than full-time service without loss of essential rights or membership in the annual conference. Division of Chaplains and Related Ministries-endorsed appointments beyond the local church may be for less than full-time service. Appointment to less than full-time service is not a guarantee, but may be made by the bishop, provided that the following conditions are met:

[FTN] 14. See Judicial Council Decision 719.

a) The ordained elder seeking less than full-time service should present a written request to the bishop and the chairperson of the board of ordained ministry at least three months prior to the annual conference session at which the appointment is made. Exceptions to the three-month deadline shall be approved by the cabinet and the executive committee of the board of ordained ministry.

b) Following appropriate consultation, as established in ¶¶ 329 and 430{@-}434, and upon joint recommendation of the cabinet and the board of ordained ministry, the less than full-time category shall be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the clergy members in full connection of the annual conference.

c) Reappointment to less than full-time service shall be requested by the ordained elder and approved annually by the bishop and cabinet and shall not be granted for more than a total of eight years, except by a three-fourths vote of the clergy members in full connection of the annual conference.

d) Ordained elders who receive appointment at less than full-time service remain within the itineracy and, as such, remain available, upon consultation with the bishop and cabinet, for appointment to full-time service. A written request to return to full-time appointment shall be made to the bishop and cabinet at least six months prior to the annual conference session at which the appointment is to be made.

e) The bishop may make ad interim appointments at less than full-time service upon request of the ordained elder, following consultation as specified in ¶¶ 429{@-}433 and upon recommendation of the cabinet and executive committee of the board of ordained ministry, the same to be acted upon by the next regular session of the annual conference.¹⁵

[FTN] 15. See Judicial Council Decision 579.

3. Interim appointments may be made to charges that have special transitional needs.

a) Ordained ministers and local pastors may be appointed as interim pastors. They will be available for interim assignments of varying lengths. Interim pastors may serve outside the annual conference where membership is held under the provision of ¶ 337.1, with approval and consent of the bishops involved.

b) Interim appointments will be for a specified length of time, established in advance following consultation with the district superintendent, the pastor-parish relations committee, and the interim pastor.



	1996 Discipline ¶ 329
	¶ 329. The Itinerant System--The itinerant system is the accepted method of The United Methodist Church by which ordained elders are appointed by the bishop to fields of labor.¹³ All ordained elders shall accept and abide by these appointments. Persons appointed to multiple-staff ministries, either in a single parish or in a cluster or larger parish, shall have personal and professional access to the bishop and cabinet, the committee on pastor-parish relations, as well as to the pastor in charge. The nature of the appointment process is specified in ¶¶ 430{@-}434. `[FTN] 13. See Judicial Council Decision 713.` `1. Full-time service shall be the norm for ordained elders in the annual conference. Full-time service shall mean that the person's entire vocational time, as defined by the district superintendent in consultation with the pastor and the committee on pastor-parish relations, is devoted to the work of ministry in the field of labor to which one is appointed by the bishop.` 2. Less than full-time service may be rendered by a clergy member under the conditions stipulated in this paragraph.¹⁴ Less than full-time service shall mean that a specified amount of time less than full-time agreed upon by the bishop and the cabinet, the clergy member, and the annual conference board of ordained ministry is devoted to the work of ministry in the field of labor to which the person is appointed by the bishop. At his or her own initiative, a clergy member may request and may be appointed in one-quarter, one-half, or three-quarter time increments by the bishop to less than full-time service without loss of essential rights or membership in the annual conference. Division of Chaplains and Related Ministries-endorsed appointments beyond the local church may be for less than full-time service. Appointment to less than full-time service is not a guarantee, but may be made by the bishop, provided that the following conditions are met: `[FTN] 14. See Judicial Council Decision 719.` `a) The ordained elder seeking less than full-time service should present a written request to the bishop and the chairperson of the board of ordained ministry at least three months prior to the annual conference session at which the appointment is made. Exceptions to the three-month deadline shall be approved by the cabinet and the executive committee of the board of ordained ministry.` `b) Following appropriate consultation, as established in ¶¶ 329 and 430{@-}434, and upon joint recommendation of the cabinet and the board of ordained ministry, the less than full-time category shall be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the clergy members in full connection of the annual conference.` `c) Reappointment to less than full-time service shall be requested by the ordained elder and approved annually by the bishop and cabinet and shall not be granted for more than a total of eight years, except by a three-fourths vote of the clergy members in full connection of the annual conference.` `d) Ordained elders who receive appointment at less than full-time service remain within the itineracy and, as such, remain available, upon consultation with the bishop and cabinet, for appointment to full-time service. A written request to return to full-time appointment shall be made to the bishop and cabinet at least six months prior to the annual conference session at which the appointment is to be made.` `e) The bishop may make ad interim appointments at less than full-time service upon request of the ordained elder, following consultation as specified in ¶¶ 429{@-}433 and upon recommendation of the cabinet and executive committee of the board of ordained ministry, the same to be acted upon by the next regular session of the annual conference.¹⁵` `[FTN] 15. See Judicial Council Decision 579.` `3. Interim appointments may be made to charges that have special transitional needs.` `a) Ordained ministers and local pastors may be appointed as interim pastors. They will be available for interim assignments of varying lengths. Interim pastors may serve outside the annual conference where membership is held under the provision of ¶ 337.1, with approval and consent of the bishops involved.` `b) Interim appointments will be for a specified length of time, established in advance following consultation with the district superintendent, the pastor-parish relations committee, and the interim pastor.`
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1996 Discipline ¶ 329